Chapter 11 First Mission and Family Harmony (2)

 

Hypnosis is actually a typical ability that preys on the weak.

 

I can easily subdue those weaker than me, but it doesn’t work well on the strong.

 

Of course, it wasn’t that it didn’t work at all. As shown during the entrance exam, depending on how it’s utilized, it can have some effect even on stronger opponents.

 

What I was about to do now was also part of that utilization.

 

-Swish.

 

“Hmm? What’s that?”

 

“My ability doesn’t work well on the strong. Preparation is necessary.”

 

Required preparations: one coin, thread, and…

 

“A sedative would be good too. Like alcohol.”

 

“Alcohol? I don’t have any right now, but should I bring some homemade ginseng wine?”

 

“…Forget it.”

 

A symbol of fair play alongside hypnosis. A drug would be good, but…

 

I couldn’t bring myself to take away the only joy of an overworked old man, so I passed.

 

However, I could manage without it because I was the Hypnosis Matchmaker.

 

I proceeded with the preparations smoothly without it.

 

The woman I needed to persuade just stared at me blankly.

 

-Stare.

 

‘…She really doesn’t say a word.’

 

She had impressive guts.

 

The room she was confined in was identical to the villain-only prison called the ‘Abyss.’

 

Right now, she was just an ordinary person.

 

But despite the strange things I was setting up, she didn’t say anything?

 

She’s tough, really tough. If it were me, I’d be trembling and shouting, ‘You’re planning to do something lewd! Like in those dirty comics!!’

 

It was clear she was twisted in some way.

 

‘Well, I won’t be doing anything like that. Hypnosis for that kind of thing actually makes you feel incredibly guilty.’

 

Anyway, while I was preparing, the chairman, who was also the head of the association, made his own preparations.

 

“You can’t use your powers in there either, right?”

 

“Yes. I can’t do anything at the moment.”

 

“Alright then, let’s restrain her. …Hey, get up for a moment. That’s it.”

 

“……”

 

The chairman carefully restrained her as if handling a grandchild.

 

The surprising thing was that the woman followed without any resistance.

 

Even as she was being shackled, she didn’t show a single sign of displeasure.

 

‘I thought she had a rebellious spirit since she didn’t open her mouth even after nearly a week of persuasion. Unexpected.’

 

I became slightly interested.

 

I wasn’t planning to pay much attention to anyone except my wives…

 

But I was curious. Why was she acting like this?

 

As I finished my preparations, I entered the room without hesitation.

 

‘Let’s take this a bit seriously.’

 

-Step.

 

The moment I crossed the threshold, I felt a sense of powerlessness.

 

It felt like the source of power for the awakened, called ‘mana,’ was being sucked away.

 

It was the effect of something called a ‘mana collector.’

 

I glanced at the chairman.

 

“I’d appreciate it if you could turn this off for a moment. I need to start the operation.”

 

“Sure. She’s a quiet girl, so it should be fine, but be careful just in case.”

 

-Whoong….

 

As soon as I requested deactivation, the machine’s operation sound echoed.

 

Simultaneously, the mana returned.

 

It meant that both I and the woman in front of me had regained our powers as awakened beings.

 

However, the woman remained expressionless.

 

Instead, I tilted my head.

 

-Whooo….

 

‘Is she really A-rank top tier? She doesn’t seem like it.’

 

Judging by her aura, she’s definitely A-rank, but not to the extent that the chairman would be so fixated on her.

 

Hmm. That’s about it.

 

‘I trust the old lady’s intuition, so I shouldn’t let my guard down.’

 

I assumed it was about that level.

 

The destruction that would happen 15 years from now.

 

She sensed it with her intuition even then.

 

Though she had already retired and couldn’t be much help at that time.

 

Without letting my guard down, I slowly gathered my mana.

 

Then, the purple-tinged mana began to rise, influenced by the Zaha Swordsmanship.

 

At the same time…

 

-Sway, sway.

 

“Now, look at this coin.”

 

A 10-won coin with a hole I had painstakingly made earlier.

 

I hung it on a thread and started swinging it.

 

The thing often seen in hypnosis stories.

 

For the first time, her perpetually expressionless face showed a slight tilt of curiosity.

 

“……?”

 

‘I know, I know. This is pretty embarrassing to do in real life.’

 

She’d probably think, ‘Is this guy in the throes of teenage delusion?’

 

If it were me, I’d laugh and wonder what the hell someone was doing if they did this.

 

But I had no choice.

 

The level difference between us was too great to just snap my fingers and hypnotize her.

 

I needed all the help I could get.

 

The effect was clear.

 

“I’m here to help you. There’s no need to be tense.”

 

[Skill ‘Perfect Hypnosis’ activated. Failed. The caster’s current level is insufficient….]

 

“It must have been hard being trapped in here all the time. You haven’t committed a crime or hurt anyone.”

 

[Failed.]

 

“Don’t worry. The chairman genuinely wants to help you. So, shall we talk?”

 

[Failed….]

 

Due to the overwhelming difference in ability, the hypnosis kept failing.

 

However, her eyes remained fixed on the coin. And on me, who was swinging it right in front of her.

 

Just showing interest was enough.

 

‘This beginner-level hypnosis induction won’t work, but… I just need to create a small opening, even if it’s just for 0.1 seconds.’

 

Would she even listen to a stranger like me?

 

She’d probably just think about how much she wanted to eat chicken.

 

So, I swung the coin.

 

To show her the sight of an idiot doing something ridiculous with a serious face.

 

To make her perceive me as a fool.

 

I exploited that shallow carelessness to create an opening.

 

“I’m not going to ask why you participated in the attack—I’m sure you had your reasons.”

 

“……”

 

“The important thing is, no matter what your reasons were, we can magically resolve them.”

 

“……”

 

“So please, tell us. To gain a talent like you, our Korean Awakeners Union will do anything.”

 

-Sway, sway.

 

A persuasion that wouldn’t work. A coin that kept swinging in front of her eyes.

 

Her pupils must be alternating between seeing the coin and seeing me.

 

And also seeing my golden eyes.

 

[Skill ‘Perfect Hypnosis’ activated. Failed.]

 

[Failed.]

 

[Failed….]

 

[Failed….]

 

[…….]

 

‘Persistence pays off.’

 

My hypnosis had no cost.

 

It didn’t consume mana to activate, nor did it tire me out even if I used it repeatedly—it was an overpowered skill.

 

So, I persisted.

 

Just like those who prayed for rain until it poured, I kept trying until the hypnosis worked.

 

“A strong person like you wouldn’t yield to ordinary threats. Is it your family? Is your family held captive by villains?”

 

-Ding!

 

[Skill ‘Perfect Hypnosis’ activated…… failed.]

 

‘I got a bite!’

 

While I was persisting, a response finally came.

 

For other hypnosis attempts, the failure message appeared in less than 0.1 seconds.

 

But when I mentioned family, there was a slight delay in the judgment?

 

This meant only one thing.

 

The ‘crack’ in her twisted facade was related to her family.

 

I dug deeper.

 

“I understand. I’m an orphan, but I know the importance of family all the more.”

 

“……”

 

[Activating ‘Perfect Hypnosis’….]

 

“Who was captured? A sibling? Parents? Mother… Father?”

 

[Activating……….]

 

“Father. Is it because of your father?”

 

[………….]

 

I swung the coin.

 

I stirred her emotions.

 

With the most precious value buried beneath her unconscious.

 

Her pupils slowly grew distant.

 

It seemed she recalled something upon hearing the word ‘father.’

 

It was a crack.

 

‘To remain so stoic even after all this, she must be really tough. She could withstand torture.’

 

It was a very slight opening.

 

A strong mind isn’t easily shaken by mere reminiscence.

 

The tightly locked door of her heart couldn’t be pried open by just a small crack.

 

But for me, it was more than enough.

 

-Ding!

 

[Despite the difference in level, the target is ‘slightly’ hypnotized.]

 

I slipped the hypnosis through the opened crack.

 

My fingers touched her soul.

 

Just slightly. Barely enough to graze with a fingertip.

 

…If I were to give an order now, the fragile hypnosis would likely break.

 

She would just flinch momentarily.

 

The difference in our abilities was that vast.

 

So,

 

‘Pardon me for a moment, unknown young lady’s father.’

 

“———Would you think of me as your father?”

 

I gave her what she desired most.

 

Filled her longing with hypnosis.

 

The reason she had no choice but to join the villain group. A reunion with her father.

 

The one she missed even in her dreams, I made her see in me.

 

-Ding!

 

[Despite the difference in level, the target is ‘partially’ hypnotized!]

 

“Ah, Dad…?”

 

‘Checkmate.’

 

For the first time, her lips opened.

 

Calling out to me with an unfamiliar tongue, as if she hadn’t spoken in a long time.

 

Unaware that the person before her was a complete stranger.

 

…It wouldn’t last long.

 

Right now, it was only fueled by intense longing.

 

Once the emotional upheaval passed, the hypnosis would break again.

 

‘But I’ll embed various commands before that happens, so it doesn’t matter.’

 

During that time, I planned to plant various suggestions.

 

Right now, I was her most precious person. Her father.

 

Hypnosis given by her father would penetrate far deeper than that given by Seo Yu-jin.

 

‘Don’t underestimate the Hypnosis Matchmaker on his second playthrough.’

 

“Yes. It’s Dad~.”

 

To finish, I smiled as kindly as possible.

 

While internally considering what hypnosis to implant.

 

Hmm. Does Dad like good awakeners?

 

That’s a bit vague.

 

To save Dad, you should rely on the Korean Awakeners Union? They are trustworthy?

 

That might work. Let’s keep that.

 

You shouldn’t associate with villains?

 

‘With this double combo and changing her communication patterns slightly…’

 

“……Dad.”

 

Lost in happy thoughts, I missed it.

 

The sight of her smiling for the first time…

 

“———You’re late.”

 

-Crunch.

 

I realized something was wrong when I heard the chain being pulled.

 

It was only then that I focused on her.

 

The restraints binding her were breaking.

 

-Creak, creak.

 

‘Huh? Those chains suppress mana. She shouldn’t be able to use even a tenth of her power, how…’

 

“……!!! Yu-jin, watch out!!!”

 

Crunch. The sound of chains snapping.

 

Boom. The sound of the chairman rushing forward.

 

All at speeds my current physical abilities couldn’t perceive.

 

The only thing I understood was…

 

More than anything else…

 

“Daddy♡”

 

-Squish.

 

“——Ugh!?”

 

My nose was faster, getting buried between her breasts.